The present invention is directed to a device for controllably turning the pages of a music manuscript, for example, as by means of a foot control or other device, so that a musician is able to advance the manuscript from page to page during play, without interruption. In the play or a multi-page musical score, for example, the musician is always faced with the problem of pre-freeing one hand from the instrument in order to excessively turn the pages of the manuscript. While a skilled musician is able to perform this task relatively quickly and unobtrusively, it requires in all cases that one hand be devoted, at least momentarily, to the task of turning the page. Where the player of the instrument requires both hands, the flow of play of the instrument is necessarily interrupted.
The present invention accordingly seeks to provide a simple yet highly reliable mechanism, operable by the musician and preferably without involving the musician's hands, to turn the pages of the manuscript, one at a time, upon the demand of the musician. The device of the invention may suitably be incorporated in a music stand, for example, or in any other environment where a music manuscript or the like is supported in a position to be read by the musician.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a page turning mechanism is provided, which incorporates a central vertical shaft, suitably mounted in relation to the music stand or other device on which the manuscript may be supported. The shaft mounts a series of rotatable, spring activated control plates, each carrying a page turning arm. At the outer end of each such arm is a clip engagable with a page of the manuscript. Associated with each of the control plates is a release mechanism, by which the spring activated control plates may be successively released, one at a time, for rotation through an arc of about 180.degree.. As the spring activated control plates rotate, carrying with them the page turning arms, individual pages of the manuscript are turned in the manner desired.
According to one advantageous form of the invention, the release mechanism is actuated in a hand's-free manner, as by means of a foot-actuated cable release mechanism for example.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, provision is made for manually turning pages backwards, automatically resetting the page turning mechanism for such pages, in order to accommodate musical scores in which repeat sections require back paging of the manuscript.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, and to the accompanying drawings.